Cazenovia Middle School students last week honored Veterans Day by forming a human flag, singing the Star Spangled Banner and thanking five local veterans invited for the occasion.
“We know the students look forward to the extra day off, but we want to make sure young people understand the history and importance of this day,” said Cazenovia Middle School Principal Jean Regan.
Students in grades 5 through 7 were asked on Monday, Nov. 10, to wear red, white or blue colored clothing. At the end of the day, they went outside to the on the Cazenovia High School football stadium and were organized on the bleachers into the pattern of an American flag.
Coach Mark Evans, one of the organizers of the event, then introduced to the students five local veterans who were invited to attend the event: Lance Corporal Irving Nourse, U.S. marine Corps, who served in Korea from 1954-57 and in the reserves from 1957-62; Lt. Comm. Keith DeClerq, U.S. Navy, who served during the Vietnam war; Sgt. Steve Rowlands, U.S. Air Force, who served during the Vietnam era from 1973-77; Col. Kurt Wheeler, U.S. Marine Corps, who served during Operations Desert Shield (1990), Desert Storm (1991) and Iraqi Freedom (2006-07); and Sgt. Chad Eno, U.S Marine Corps, who served from 2004-09 and participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The students, led by school music teacher Ellen Dougherty, then sang the Star Spangled Banner. At the end of the event, as the students walked off the bleachers to go back into the school building, they filed past all the vets, shook their hands and thanked them for their service.
“It was terrific I thought; the kids seemed to like it,” said Nourse. “It’s good for the kids to know something about this.”
“We appreciate the effort,” said DeClerq.
The event was organized by the middle school’s inter-disciplinary committee of teachers, including Ellen Dougherty, Kathy DiNardo, Mark Evans, Jason Hyatt, Katie Kellstrand, Todd McCreary, Johanna Neugebauer and Lorraine Scheftic.
Jason Emerson is editor of the Cazenovia Republican. He can be reached at [email protected].
